US Coast Guard Academy and University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Win Divisions at Great Lakes Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta
CHICAGO, September 27, 2026 — Eighteen college teams competed in three races at the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta (GLIOR) this weekend. Light air tested sailors and race organizers alike, but the volunteers, boat owners and three host clubs made a full weekend of racing possible. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy won the J/105 division, while the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign topped the PHRF division.
Co-hosted by Storm Trysail Club, Chicago Yacht Club and Columbia Yacht Club, this was the 10th Great Lakes IOR since 2015 and the first of three IORs co-organized by Storm Trysail Club this fall. The series continues at Larchmont Yacht Club October 9–11 before heading to Seattle for the new Pacific Northwest IOR in November.
Despite light wind on Saturday, the race committee completed two distance races of 10.5 and 14 miles. Sunday began under postponement, but the fleet got back on the water for a final 7.5-mile race off Chicago’s cityfront.
This season also introduces a National Division for seven schools planning to compete in all three IORs: Brown University, the College of Charleston, the University of Rhode Island, the U.S. Naval Academy, Harvard University, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the University of Michigan. All seven raced in the J/105 fleet this weekend. The Callisto Cup will go to the school with the best overall performance across the series after the Seattle event.
Consistency carried the Coast Guard Academy to the J/105 victory aboard Flying Pig. The team did not win an individual race, but finishes of second, second and third gave it seven points and the overall win. Brown University, which won the opening race aboard Sealark, finished second with nine points. The College of Charleston won the final race aboard Pura Vida and took third with 10 points. The University of Rhode Island won the middle race aboard It Wasn’t Me and finished fourth overall.
The PHRF division came down to a tie on eight points. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign finished first aboard Thunderbolt, ahead of Miami University Ohio aboard Mutiny. The University of Wisconsin won the final two races aboard Painkiller 5 and finished third, just one point behind the leaders.
“Thank you to our PRO, Jen Dorsch, who got races off in challenging light-air conditions, as well as Chicago Yacht Club’s outstanding on-the-water team led by Chuck Nevel and house team led by GM Keith Brennan,” said Race Chair Whitney Key-Towey.
The regatta depends on dozens of volunteers from Storm Trysail Club, Chicago Yacht Club and Columbia Yacht Club. They supported the event ashore, housed visiting teams and served as safety officers. Boat owners donated the use of their boats, while club staff welcomed sailors for an event dinner.
“This event is free for the teams. Our goal is to strengthen relationships between generations of sailors and give college sailors opportunities to race larger boats,” said Matt Gallagher, a Chicago native and rear commodore of Storm Trysail Club. “New this year, our partnership with the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association means GLIOR results are also posted on TechScore.” (Tech Score Results: J/105 & PHRF Division)
Next up is the original and largest IOR at Larchmont Yacht Club, October 9–11, where 48 schools are expected to compete on Long Island Sound.
The IORs are made possible by the Storm Trysail Foundation. To support these opportunities for college sailors, visit stormtrysailfoundation.org
A special thanks to Anna Susslova our photographer this weekend. Schools are welcome to use photos for social media but MUST credit @annasusslova.
